The Veldfundi.com Emblem 

The Veldfundi.com emblem was inspired by a true story of a warthog which broke loose from a cable snare in which it got caught in. The author relates the story as follows:

It was the second day in a row that I photographed a prime specimen warthog boar boasting a magnificent pair of curved tusks, the biggest I’ve seen in months. It was only on this day after zooming in on one of my photographs that I noted something amiss. A snare, a flimsy cable snare probably set for a duiker or Impala, but was torn off its anchor by the brute strength of this animal and twined around its thick neck.

 

The warthog was standing on a grassy verge next to a public road. Like a cry for help, returning to the same spot during the cool periods of the day, hoping to be released from the wire’s tightening grip.
 
The decision was made to attempt to free the animal from the snare, however after several attempts to dart the warthog he managed to escape into a thicket. Soon this warthog was not sighted anymore. It is unknown what happened to him and soon only his memory remained.

These comical creatures are often seen kneeling on front knees with the snout grubbing in the soil for food. Hardly the major drawing cards like lions and other large game. No game fence can contain them and their fate is often to be culled, hunted or poached. As is the case with any other animal they have a well deserved niche within the ecosystem. They are by no means endangered yet ecologists may tell you that their numbers are amongst the first to decline if the veldt is under stress.
 
By culling or hunting their numbers are kept in check by using calculated formulas on carrying capacity and farm management guidelines, but in some farms they are mercilessly poached. Warthogs make the ideal target for the syndicate poacher It has predictable habits in that it is diurnal and reverses into its burrow at night where it becomes an easy target for man and dog. From that position there is but one way out, straight into a spear after it has been driven into frenzy by smoke filling its hole. The options are few, suffocate or face an almost certain death dealt by man and dog.

The wire or cable snare is far less discriminate. Like a landmine, void of emotion, it lies in wait to spring its trap. Someone may return to claim the meat of the animal or else the carcass will rot and waste. The poacher will rarely set one snare and hope to catch. The risks are too high. By setting a large pocket, success is more likely and less time is required to check and collect the meat. Once an animal is removed, the remaining snares are all too often abandoned and cause a significant number of unclaimed fatalities.

Education with the internet

The internet is a powerful medium to reach people on a grand scale. It is an ideal instrument for education and marketing. This makes the internet such a valuable tool to be used in nature conservation.

The internet, beyond the ability to convey grand messages to alter people’s mind-sets, is a great way to simply inform friends and strangers alike of you and your lifestyle and entertain people from across the globe with your experiences.

The South African sub-continent features an abundant wealth of wildlife diversity. This coupled with the rich cultures of the people that live there and their remarkable history makes South Africa a goldmine in information to be shared with the world.

The internet is an essential tool to market commercial enterprises to prospective clients. Eco-tourism is a fiercely competitive industry and a good quality designated website may just provide the required edge to compete globally.

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